Drilling Proposal Gets Public Scrutiny

Laramie, Wy – The public will have a chance to ask questions about a proposal by Questar to do more all year drilling in crucial winter habitat for big game Thursday. The proposal involves land south of Pinedale. The company wants to use several techniques to reduce the impact on the habitat and on wildlife. Questar's Pinedale General Manager, Ron Hogan says this includes decreasing the ecological footprint by a third and cutting down on the number of vehicle trips into the habitat by up to 25 thousand every year. Hogan says if they're allowed to drill all year round it should be good for the community too because it could end the instability of seasonal drilling. A coalition of conservationists based in Pinedale says they like the ideas behind the proposal but don't want Questar drilling during the winter.